Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Treatment Options

Breast cancer treatment options are extremely variable. It is, in large part, due to the various stages of cancer and the different cancer tumors that can appear in one's breast. While some people can effectively conquer cancer by taking medications, others need to endure long-term chemotherapy sessions or surgical techniques. There are local and systematic treatments; the former targets cancer cells specifically whereas systematic approaches affect cells all over the body. Often, people try multiple options before being able to defeat the fearful enemy.

Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy refers to administrating a set of drugs that flow into the bloodstream and remove cancer cells. Not only can chemo reduce or remove the original tumor, but it can also target the cancer cells that have spread in areas far away from the breast. Doctors perform chemotherapy to reach three main goals:

• Cure
• Control
• Palliation

In the earlier stages of cancer, doctors do their best to cure cancer. In other words, they make sure no cancer cells can be found throughout the body. But when all else fails, they can reduce the tumor's size or prevent it from spreading which means controlling cancer. By controlling cancer using chemotherapy, they can make sure the patient will live an easier and longer life. However, sometimes an advanced-stage tumor cannot be cured nor controlled. During this stage, chemo is used for palliation. That is, the patient receives chemotherapy to alleviate the symptoms and gain more comfort.

Breast Cancer Treatment Radiation Therapy 

Radiotherapy is the most common cancer treatment option. This technique uses high-energy rays to get rid of the cancer cells. As opposed to chemo which travels throughout the body, radiation therapy will target a specific area that needs to be treated. Although some of the healthy surrounding cells might be affected too, most of them can recover from the damage. Also known as internal radiation, this technique can effectively reduce the risks of cancer recurring. It is also a frequently performed treatment after lumpectomy surgery. 

One of the common types of radiation therapy is brachytherapy or internal radiation. During the procedure, a radioactive material is placed inside your body, either through a body cavity such as the vagina or being inserted in a part of body tissue like the breast tissue. It involves fewer side effects than external radiation and has a shorter treatment time. 

There are two major types of brachytherapy in terms of the administrated dosage; high-dose-rate brachytherapy and low-dose-rate brachytherapy. The more the dosage, the lesser the time the radioactive material needs to be left in place. HDR (high-dose-rate) treatment is the most preferred brachytherapy for treating breast cancer. 

Surgical Breast Cancer Treatment 

For many women, one of the frightening things about breast cancer is the fact that they might need to undergo surgical removal of the entire breast tissue or a portion of it. Surgery could be one of the most effective ways to deal with the condition; still, many fear the outcome. In the past, breast cancer surgery meant removing all parts of the breast leaving nothing but a big scar on the chest. In recent years, however, the latest techniques can leave the skin, areola, and nipple untouched. As a result, the patient can observe a more natural breast appearance. 

• Lumpectomy: during lumpectomy surgery, also called breast-conserving surgery, the cancer tumor along with a margin of the nearby healthy tissues will be removed. With a lumpectomy, most parts of the breast will be preserved. In most cases, it is a treatment option for women with early-stage breast cancer offering results that are as successful as mastectomy. Usually, several radiation therapy sessions are needed after a lumpectomy.
• Mastectomy: total mastectomy or simple mastectomy is referred to surgical removal of the entire breast. When both breasts are removed, it is called double mastectomy. Mastectomy candidates are women whose cancer has not spread beyond the breast or those who have a high risk of breast cancer and undergo the surgery to prevent the condition (known as preventive mastectomy). To restore the natural shape of the breast, breast reconstruction can be performed after a mastectomy. It can be done immediately after the surgery or at a later date.

Breast Cancer Treatment Timeline in Iran

Just like the cancer cells which develop overtime, cancer treatments attempt to kill the cancer cells gradually. You must be patient and trust your specialists' expertise on what is best for you. Nevertheless, you should make sure you are well informed about each treatment's timeline. Some treatments such as chemotherapy or radio therapy require repeating cycles of 2 to 6 weeks. Other options like surgical treatments can provide results over a week. 

Surgery: The surgery can take between 2 to 4 hours. It is possible to have your breasts' shape restored by breast reconstruction surgery immediately after the mastectomy or lumpectomy. This might increase the procedure's time. 

After the surgery, you will be hospitalized for 3 to 5 days. During this time, the medical team will monitor your vital signs while evaluating the surgery's outcome. Your total stay in Iran will be 2 weeks.

Radiation therapy: The treatment time for external radiation is six to seven weeks. Whereas with internal radiation, it is reduced to five days. there are two types of internal radiation: low-dose-rate and high-dose-rate brachytherapy. During low-dose-rate brachytherapy, the radioactive material will stay in the patient's body from several hours to a couple of days. With high-dose-rate brachytherapy, the duration can be reduced to 20 minutes. Sometimes after high-dose-rate brachytherapy, two or three repeat sessions are needed. 

Breast Cancer Treatment Success Rate

Generally, breast cancer can be successfully treated. About 70% of breast cancer patients are unlikely to face breast cancer recurrence in their lifetime. Still, the survival rate after breast cancer treatment can vary depending on the characteristics of the tumor, the stage of cancer, and the type of treatment.

According to this study, double mastectomy surgery has an 81.2% survival rate in 10 years. Whereas, a lumpectomy has 83.2% survival rate within 10 years. It can be concluded that for most patients, lumpectomy offers better success rate without removing the breast. The same study indicates that the least survival rate belongs to unilateral mastectomy (removing one breast) which is 79.9%.

Brachytherapy is another highly successful treatment for breast cancer. During a study, it was determined that around 95% of patients undergoing brachytherapy did not experience breast cancer recurrence in the next 5 years. 

Breast Cancer Treatment Centers in Iran

Iranian cancer treatment centers are equipped with the latest instruments to carry out quality treatment at par with that of the most developed countries in the world. The crumbling economic situation has not decreased the quality of treatments in the country. Yet, it has certainly lowered the costs for the thousands of foreign patients who choose Iran for their treatments. 

Cancer treatments centers in Iran offer exceptional VIP services to foreign visitors. In Iran, you can find accomplished oncologists, highly experienced breast surgeons and pioneer plastic surgeons who can help you select the best treatments suitable for you and your case. To learn more, you can start by comparing medical centers right here on this page or hit us up to chat directly with trained healthcare professionals.

Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects

Breast cancer treatments are successful in about 90% of cases but everything comes at a price. In the course of cancer treatment, you will face many unexpected consequences called side effects. Many are familiar with the outcomes of treatments like chemotherapy which involves hair-loss, fatigue or anemia. Although these treatments are designed to attack and destroy cancer cells, there is no warranty that they won't damage your healthy cells as well. On the bright side, damage control is possible after each treatment. 

Surgical treatment is an effective way to remove cancer cells or prevent breast cancer. Still, the surgery has a number of side effects related to the surgery itself or other risks the type of surgery might entail.

• Infection
• Pain
• Clear fluid or blood accumulation in the wounds
• Phantom breast syndrome (Feeling the absent breast tissue on the chest)
• Emotional breakdown of having one's breast removed
• Hard scar tissue on the chest

Brachytherapy is a less-invasive procedure with fewer side effects than external radiotherapy. Yet, that doesn’t mean there are no risks associated with it. 

• Infertility
• Problems with bladder
• Redness and bruising in the treated sight
• infection

FAQ           

Can breast cancer treatment cause thyroid problems?

Radiotherapy can make alterations to the thyroid. Some studies even report radiation as a major risk factor for thyroid cancer.

How long does breast cancer treatment take?

Depending on the type of breast cancer treatment that is recommended for you, the complete course of a breast cancer treatment might take five days to several years.

Does breast cancer return after treatment?

There is a small chance (about 10%) of breast cancer recurrence after the treatment.

Does breast cancer treatment cause hair loss?

Chemotherapy is a type of breast cancer treatment that might cause hair loss.

Is breast cancer treatment painful?

Surgical treatments might be followed by some level of pain.